title: Exclusive breastfeeding of low birth weight infants for the first six months: infant morbidity and maternal and infant anthropometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  to report anthropometry and morbidity among term low birth weight infants and anthropometry of their first time mothers during the first six months in relation to breastfeeding practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  we examined data from a randomized controlled trial in Manila, the Philippines. Of the 204 mothers randomized, 68 mothers received eight postpartum breastfeeding counseling sessions, the rest did not. Maternal and infant anthropometric data at birth, 2, 4 and 6 months were taken. During seven follow-up hospital visits, an independent interviewer recorded feeding data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the 24 infants exclusively breastfed from birth to six months did not have diarrhea compared to 134 partially breastfed (mean 2.3 days) and 21 non-breastfed infants (mean 2.5 days). Partially breastfed and non-breastfed infants compared to exclusively breastfed infants had more frequent, as well as more severe episodes of respiratory infections. At six months, neither overall gain in infant weight, length and head circumferences nor mean maternal weight and body mass index differed significantly between the feeding groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months can be recommended in term low birth weight infants, who were protected from diarrhea, had fewer respiratory infections, required no hospitalization and had catch up growth. Exclusively breastfeeding mothers did not differ from mothers who breastfed partially or those who did not breastfeed with regard to weight changes at six months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Philippine General Hospital, Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Philippines 1000. mgvagrasada@post.upm.edu.ph
authors.forename: Grace V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Agrasada
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ewald
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kylberg
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002508:Cephalometry; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D015430:Weight Gain